Timing devices are well known for use by athletes or observers of athletes, for measuring athletic performance in various sports, including running, skiing, bicycling and swimming. Often the timing device is in the form of a stopwatch which is started concurrently with the starting of an event or practice, and which is stopped upon completion of the event, such that the total elapsed time is measured. Conventional stopwatch devices are often hand held and bulky, making it cumbersome for an athlete to carry the device during an event or training. In addition, hand held stopwatches may be dropped as the athlete is performing or training resulting in damage or loss of the timing device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,141 to Arai discloses a timing apparatus in which the timer and switch actuators therefor are mounted on a glove, with the display provided on the back of the glove hand and the switches provided at the fingertips of the glove. The various functions of the timer are actuated by the thumb pressing the switch of the fingertip corresponding to the desired function. However, such a device can be uncomfortable to the user, particularly when the athlete perspires excessively, and the athlete may be disinclined to utilize a glove covering. In addition, selection of materials for the glove upon which the timer is mounted can be difficult, since the material must be durable and water resistant. Particularly in the case of water sports, the glove must be thin and non-absorbent, such that the glove does not become heavy as a result of absorbing water and such that the glove does not significantly increase drag on the user's hand. The use of a water sport suitable material may make the glove even more uncomfortable in out-of-water sports. Clearly, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to design a glove which would be suitable in both comfort and durability for a wide variety of sporting uses. In addition, both right- and left-handed gloves would be necessary to satisfy consumer demands. Moreover, such a glove must be fairly tightly mounted upon the user's hand, and thus a wide range of sizes must be available to avoid slippage of the glove, which would result in the user having difficulty in locating the various switches.
A further shortcoming of the '141 device is that multiple switches are necessary, and thus an athlete may press the wrong switch, particularly when the athlete is distracted or fatigued. Depending upon the sporting event being undertaken, it also may be difficult to reach the thumb over to one of the fingertips. In addition, an adjacent fingertip may accidentally trigger a switch causing an error in the performance data. For example, when a cyclist is squeezing a hand grip, it would be difficult to reach the fingertips with the thumb, and the adjacent fingertips may inadvertently actuate the switch producing an error in the timing data.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,054,559 to Dom discloses a watch-type counter in which the counter is in the form of a wrist-watch type case, with the case mounted upon a wristband. However, such a device can be cumbersome since it requires the athlete to utilize their opposite hand to actuate the counting switch. This is unacceptable in a number of sports, for example, in swimming where crossing of a hand across the body will create an unacceptable amount of drag, as well as disturb the swimmer's balance, such that the swimmer is greatly slowed upon each actuation of the counter. An athlete may also find the wrist attachment constricting and uncomfortable, particularly when free circulation is desired during training or participation in a sporting event.
Thus, there is a need for a counting and/or timing device which can be comfortably worn by the athlete or an observer, and which can perform a variety of functions desired to measure athletic performance in a wide variety of sporting events and can be operated by only slight movement by the user.